Picunche

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This topic is discussed in the following articles:

Araucanian Indians

...the middle valleys, and the Huilliche dwelling in the south between the Toltén River and Chiloé Island. The first Araucanians encountered by the Spanish (
c. 1536) were the
Picunche, who had lived under Inca cultural influence or political domination since the 15th century. The
Picunche were accustomed to outside rule and put up very little resistance to the Spanish. By...

colonialism in South America

The Araucanians were nomadic hunting and food-gathering peoples divided into three groups: the Mapuche, the
Picunche, and the Huilliche. They spoke the same language and federated for military purposes but otherwise had little political and cultural unity. The Araucanians seem to have been somewhat influenced by the pre-Inca peoples and the Inca; the latter were unable to subdue them.

The Spaniards conquered the northern half of Chile several years after their conquest of Peru. They had brought the
Picunche under their control with relative ease by 1544 and used them to placer mine gold in the rivers, perform agricultural labour on settlers’ farms, and build and provide services in colonial towns, cities, and military outposts.

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